Focused group therapy: An integrative approach

Focused Group Therapy (FGT) was developed within a research project on treatment for burned out patients on long-term sick leave. The core of FGT is to find and formulate an individual focus expressed in behavioural terms. This focus is then worked with in the here-and-now of the group therapy. It is argued that the use of common factors in group therapy, rather than a special technique, improves the clinical work. Thesupport factor in group therapy is understood in terms of cohesion, therapeutic alliance and goal-corrected empathic attunement. Thelearning factors that are stressed are the experience of being a part of a developing group, building on similarities instead of differences, affective communication and the implicit knowledge developed in new ways of dealing with interpersonal relations. Theaction factor is considered to consist of challenging interpersonal situations corresponding to the individual focus, which are mastered in the here-and-now of the group.     

Cognitive Therapy for Command Hallucinations: Not a Quasi-Neuroleptic

Command hallucinations (CH) are a distressing and high-risk group of symptoms that have long been recognised but little understood, with few effective treatments. In this paper we report and discuss the efficacy of cognitive therapy (CT) modified in accordance with ‘social rank theory,’ in a single blind randomised controlled trial. 38 patients with command hallucinations were randomly allocated to CT or treatment as usual and followed up for 6 then 12 months. Large reductions in compliance behaviour were obtained (effect size = 0.97) favouring the CT group. Other significant differences were found and maintained at 6 months follow up.     

日本的学校心理咨询模式

伴随着日本学校临床心理士派遣制度的实施,探索有效的学校心理咨询模式被提到了议事日程上。在日本的学校中,学校心理学模式、社区心理学模式、短期治疗模式和叙事治疗等四种模式比较多的为学校临床心理士们所关注。     

Hope for the Worst: Occasional Reinforced Extinction and Expectancy Violation in the Treatment of OCD

An inhibitory learning conceptualization of treatment mechanisms in exposure-based therapy appears to better account for durability of symptom reduction and index overall learning. Presented here is an overview of two core elements of inhibitory learning, expectancy violation and occasional reinforced extinction, as they are thought to function in exposure and response prevention (ERP) for OCD. The overview is then followed by case examples illustrating these processes at work in a naturalistic clinical setting. Implications for treatment are broadly discussed.     

Effects of Intensive Behavioral Treatment for Children With Varying Levels of Conduct Problems and Callous-Unemotional Traits

The purpose of this study was to examine whether callous–unemotional (CU) traits moderated the effects of intensive behavior therapy in elementary school-age children with varying levels of conduct problems (CP). Both treatment response (magnitude of change between pre- and posttreatment) and treatment outcomes (likelihood of normalization from treatment) were examined. Participants were 67 children (n = 49 boys, M_age = 9.6 years) with varying levels of CP and CU who participated in an intensive 8-week summer treatment program (STP) in which behavior therapy was delivered to children in recreational and classroom settings and to parents via weekly parent training sessions. Effects of treatment were measured using parent and teacher ratings of oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), callous behavior, and impairment. Results showed that CU moderated treatment effects for CD and callous behavior but not ODD or impairment. The moderating effects showed some evidence that participants with high CP and high CU before treatment had better treatment responses (larger change between pre- and posttreatment) but worse treatment outcomes (lower likelihood of normalization after treatment). These results suggest that intensive treatment, such as the STP, may be necessary but not sufficient for children with CP and CU traits.     

Measuring Experiential Avoidance: Reliability and Validity of the Dutch 9-item Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ)

Three studies evaluated psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the 9-item Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ)—a self-report measure designed to assess experiential avoidance as conceptualized in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Study 1, among bereaved adults, showed that a one-factor model, with AAQ-items constituting a single dimension of experiential avoidance, fitted the data well. The internal consistency and temporal stability of the AAQ were satisfactory. In Study 2, among undergraduate students, and Study 3, among 60 outpatients, higher AAQ scores were found to be significantly associated with psychopathology, maladaptive coping strategies, and neuroticism, attesting to the validity of the measure. In support of its incremental validity, Study 3 showed that the AAQ remained significantly associated with depression and anxiety after controlling for neuroticism and thought suppression. The current studies complement prior research supporting the psychometric properties of the AAQ and the ACT conceptualization of experiential avoidance.

Marriage and Family Therapy with Low-Income Clients: Professional,Ethical, and Clinical Issues

Economic stress greatly increases the likelihood of mental health issues occurring within a family. Although this is widely known within the mental health profession, there is a lack of literature that assists therapists in working effectively with low-income clients. As a result, marriage and family therapists may be ill equipped to meet the needs of those in poverty, and may even be conducting therapy that is ethically unsound. The authors of this article discuss several ethical and professional issues regarding therapy with families in poverty. A number of suggestions are presented for improving the effectiveness of therapy with low-income clients. Michele E. Grimes and Alyssa D. McElwain are masters students in Marriage and Family Therapy at Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, IN. Michele E. Grimes and Alyssa D. McElwain contributed equally to this article.     

From Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) to Cognitive Behaviour Coaching (CBC)

This article focuses on how the principles and practice of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) can be adapted to the field of coaching to become cognitive behaviour coaching (CBC) and the current empirical status of CBC is discussed. The centrepiece of CBC practice is the ABCDE model of identifying psychological blocks and their removal. Typical tools and techniques used in CBC are outlined and ten key questions to ask in coaching are advanced. What CBC can offer coaches is discussed and, finally, suggestions are made to point out when coaching should really be counselling.     

农村中医药医疗现状与改革对策初探——湖南农村中医医疗调查分析与思考

为了解农村居民对中医药的认知和利用现状,分析农村中医药发展的制约因素,探讨适合农村实情的中医医疗发展道路,通过对家庭入户进行相关问卷调查,收集农村居民对中医医疗的认知及利用的相关资料,证明中医医疗在农村的信任度及利用水平随居民年龄增大而增加,农村中医医疗现状居民满意度仅为31％。